


IPS 1219 

B5 V6 
1875 
I Copy 1 



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Thy VOYAGE; 



OK, 



A SONG OF TIIH SEAS, 



And Other foEMS. 



By rev. E. F. liURK, D.D., 

OF "KccE C'Ki.LM," "Patf.k Mlniji," " Ai> Fiijkm," inc. 



.S>&^ VEN TEEN ILL USTA'A TIONS. 






^ 






NEW YORK : ^ 

N E L S O N .K: I' 11 I L L I PS, 

80s BROADWAY. 
1875. 



r" 



Kntereil according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S74, by 

N F L S O \ & r H I 1. 1 I r S , 
In the OtTice of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. 



TO 



THE FRIENDS 



THE MANSK AND TIIK CHURCH. 



CONTENTS. 



THE MANSE 9 

i THE CHURCH 15 

THY VOYAGE 19 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



PAGE. 

Portrait of the Author 2 

^ The Manse ,0 

\ The Church ,6 

^ A Song of the Sea ig 

■-'•And ihus he spake: ■ I now wtel make ' " 20 

"A S TA TELV SONO P,V FOREST SUN ; " 23 

"^ "And FLOATS IHEREON like MIOHIV SWAN " 25 



"Huzza! ihe saii.inc; rainhow " 



29 



" Why stands he ever a r the wheel ? " 3 



Seas of summer " 



35 



"Where reef and shore, in ambush hoar" 37 

" Rocks and shoals, ihat feed " 30 

"As if of steed " 



"By passing throu(;h ihe narrows" 



43 



49 



"As Chrlst steps out from 'mid his kings" 53 

" On ja(;ged rocks to death been stung " 55 

" Hear what the shouting watchman saith " 57 




^5 1 B IlilL 



-v^St- 



".-fcn-e^/ff^-:^^ 






The Manse. 



THE MANSE. 

Green pastures dotted with cattle and shady 

clumps ; 
Autumn-woods sprinkled with blood of the wounded 

year ; 
Blue sky, where a single great cloud-barge drifts 

gently, 
With its bulwarks of silver and opal and gold. 
Whence lean (pity our gross eyes see them so 

faintly !) 
Our guardian spirits, all gently tilting down, 
From out as many pictured cornucopias, 
Faint musics, perfumes, zephyrs, sparkles, tinted 

gleams, 



THE MANSE. 



I'rcshly cullod i\o\\\ i^aalons just this side o{ 

heaven, 
C^n scene almost as lair, aiul oii the tliankful Manse 
Nestled snuj^l\- amid the sweet CX'loher j:;lo\v. 
Behold the nestlini; ! Ask ye tu>\v whose home 

this is ? 
Don bt less 'tis CJirist's cii')i manse, though (.^I'ten 

called niine. 
In sij^n whereof see Latin cross uplifted hi^h. 
And littiuj^ hii^^hcr still tlu^ sii^lu '.A men devout — 
Even to llim whose blood did bu\- b(.nh us and 

ours. 
To that hii^h /eniih. all the hii:^hest stars beyond, 
My thoui^ht L^oes tleeino- as from some heavenlv 

bow — 



THE MANSE. 



Past barofc anirclic, past th(; azure: seas on seas — 

And conies at last to land hriL,dit with (Eternal day. 

And, lo, another Mansewood and another Manse 

Whose mazy pomp of domes and towers and bat- 
tlements 

Smites through and through, with glory keen as 
])attle-swords, 

My conquered sight, and leaves it slain and stark 
henceforth 

To all that shines below. 



'3 






\Tttt"tMfitn 









The Clivireh, 



TiiR CHURCH. 

The gray church rose on the hill, and climbed 

Aloft, stone by stone ; and I stood on it, 

And saw c|uite o'er the sea of human life 

To that far Port which, like a setting sun. 

Swims deep in gold. Then waters vanished ; 

Vanished east and west ; vanished all 

But the far zenith, and the rising pile 

Beneath, and swift e](;ctric speech darting 

Between the two. And the climbing temple 

Said to God, "I come to thee, () Most High; 

Come painfully, but bring with nie the thoughts 

Of men, their Sabbaths, and their costly selves." 

And God said, " Come, and bring my little ones. 

My gray-haired sires and mothers, all my rich 

And poorest ; and sheep without a shepherd, 

17 



THE CIWRCII. 



Vxo\\\ roiii^h hillsiclo and trom \alc. Let tluMii 

climb 
In- the stroll;^ huUler ot th\' rui^i^ed rcK^-is. 
Anil L;r>uK\l Inittressos, aiul taper tower, 
liite these skies which thou dost ])ierce tor them, 
Xor let them fear the di//v thorou^^hfare. 
("•n every rock\- spur, and ledi^e. aiul slope, 
Shall stand my aui^els with their helping- hands ; 
And so, Sabbath b\' Sabbath, a^^e b\- a^^e. 
The stream ot souls shall pass securel\- up 
'\\\\ stonv steeps into nu' Hcst lAMnjde." 



iS 



\\\\ v()\'A(;i 







./ M>.\(; ()/■ rill si\. 




• 1 now will ni \ke, ?^ ^ Jfc ^ " ,' (JF* 
IU-.I It thi-- nooU ol I, \nduu). /; ^' ' 



THY VOYAGE. 



I saw a form majestic, 

Hard by the ocean standing; 
And thus he spake : " I now will make, 

Just at this nook of landino-, 
A goodly ship, a steamer ship, 

To pass this ocean over : 
My steel shall smoke on heart of oak ■ 
And woods most rich, with careful stroke, 
To make such ship as till now broke 

A path in ocean never." 



rnv lovAGE. 



II. 



}lis hrow was hro;ul aiul \o\\\\ 



Ills iiu>l was kiHMi aiul shinino-; 
Ami siHMi is scHMi aii orran ([ikhmi 

I ' poll \\\v sluM'c ri\-linino-. 
Im'oiii stoin to stern, troin sp.ir to kool, 

Was (>\c'r ship so ipn'onU' ! — 
A stalcl)' soui; hs lorcst sun^' 
To stat(^K- sra, whose \'oice has ruiii;", 
Tinu" mil ot miiul, its aisK-s ainoiij^", 

For soiiL!" tliat now is roadw 



iM'MI 













"A Ht!>l.'ily H'jiii.i by f'or'jHf, nuny 
To stately Hen "— 



THY VOYAGE. 










iir. 






1 


Ro 


ady 5 


sini 


te 


out the 


wet 


Iges ! 






The 


stoc 


ks 


all tierce 


>ly 


spiirniiii^", 


\Vl 


th s; 


lils : 


ill 


set, and 


sai 


Is all 


wet, 




Ami 


lnvs 


within her 


hurniiio-, 





Away ship slopes, awav she smokes, 

Into the startled watcM" ; 
And iK^ats thereon like n1i«;ht^■ swan. 
Into its nati\e sea lltnvn down. 
On plumes cil snt)w. at break v>{ dawn, 

W ith dayhiwdv pomp ujhmi her. 



24 



Wf^ 



"And floats thereon like mighty swan." 



THY VOYAGE. 



IV. 



And daybreak pomp zuithiii her, 
Now see her hucrelv takino-- 
A sparkling freight, a gorgeous weight, 

Its shipward way is making 
In streams of boats and streams of vans, 

And goes beneath the hatches ; 
Till that great hold with wealth untold 
Of fairest gems, and purest gold. 
And wares superb by masters old. 
The womb of sunset matches. 



27 



• 












THY VOYAGE. 








V. 


V 


H 


Lizza ! the 


sailing' rainljow 






l""orth on 


its main is starting, 




just as the; 


sun has well beirun 






lis level 


glories darting; 




R 


i^ht (inward drivers the valiant sh 


p. 




As drive 


the orbs through heaven ; 


N 


or sound of smoke, nor sound of 


stroke, 


N 


or sound 


^{ A\a\'es b\- swift prow 


broke, 


Betra\s liow 


fast that shapely oak 






Alono- th 


e seas is driven. 

28 






" Huzza ! the sailing rainoow 
Forth on its main is starting, 

Just as the sun has well begun 
Its level glories darting." 







THY VOYAGE. 






VI. 


Strano-e- 


—but 


a single sailor 


That 


giant deck possessing, 


While h 


eart 


of oak with giant stroke 


Through 


unknown seas is pressing ! 


Why stands 


he ever at the wheel, 


And 


llames his sight alway 


On star 


and 


chart, on star and chart, 


Mlndlcss 


of 


sail, or steamer-heart 


Where royal 


fires do peasant part 


And 


toil 


with engines tawny? 






30 







ipiiii 



" Wliy st=inds hs ever pit the wheel, 

And flames his sicihl aJway 
On star and chart" — 



THY VOYAGE. 



VI r. 



List ! I will speak the secret : 

A spell this shij) is biiuling, 
Strong-er than hond which ma<^Ic wand 

About Stoneheni'-e sent windino-, 
Then drew the mass at lightning pace 

Across the foaming Channel; 
W'hate'er he will, whate'er he nill, 
Whate'er ma)' hap of good or ill, 
Upon his oaken whirlwind still, 

Sweeps on the loneK' sailor. 



32 



THY VOYAGE. 



VIII. 



Naught but the wheel is left him ; 

Nauirht but the careful cruidino;; 
^ To save this ship, this meteor ship, 

Which 'neath his feet is g-liding-. 
Its sails are spread by spirit hands! 

Like hands feed fires and waters ! 

And none can go, above, below, 
/ 

To furl those sails or tame this glow, 
Though swollen cheeks of tempest blow 
On white teeth of the breakers. 



33 



THY VOYAGE. 



IX. 



And, sooth, no seas of summer 

Before this ship are glowing — 
Waters all deep, all waves asleep, 

And zephyrs ever blowing; 
A laughing main, whose beams and songs 

Proclaim the great Pacific — 
O no ! O no ! the chart will show 
Far other main this queen must plow, 
With rounded sheets and flashing prow, 

Beneath that spell terrific. 



34 




" Seas of summer 
Before this ship are glowing. 



THY VOYAGE. 



Far other main, O sailor, 

Thy prow is now exploring; 
Thy hand is on the lion's mane, 

And in thine ear his roaring! 
Lo, -cui>i/ry brine, whose storms chase ships, 

Willi hue and cry most fearful. 
Where reef and shore, in ambush hoar, 
With stony spears lay wait to gore 
The ships which hunter storms press sore 

Upon that ambush dreadful. 



36 




"^A'l^^ere reef and. shore, in ambusn iioar, 

With stony spears lay wait to gore 

The ships which hunter storms press sore." 



THY VOYAGE. 



XL 

This knows that sailor lonely, 

Who at the wheel is standing ; 
And hence he feels, and hence he deals. 

As but the wheel commanding; 
This does he turn to left or right 

As star and chart may beckon ; 
Steering with heed that headlong speed. 
Away from rocks and shoals, that feed 
On fleets of ships, and still have greed 

No end of ships can slacken. 



38 



"V ,, 




"Rocks and shoals, that feed 
On fleets of ships." 





THY VOYAGE. 




XII. 




Now ask ye what this ship is, 




That o'er the brine is steaming, 




Swiftly as day speeds on its way 




When sun of joy is beaming? 




This wealthy ship, that must go on 




Whatever fate may threaten, 




But which may still, by single will. 




Be steered aside to good from ill, 




By means of star, and chart, and skill, 




And reach at last its haven ? 




41 







THY 


VOYAGE. 








XIII. 





man 


it is thy 


spirit, 




Wh 


ch thus i? 

> 


> mutely sweeping 


Al 


ong 


the years 


where man appears 




His 


sole prob 


ation keeping : 


O 


man 


it is thy 


wealthy soul, 




By 


single pru 


dence guarded, 


Whose 


foamy sp* 


sed, as if of steed 


In 


fright profoun 


d from battle freed. 


By 


dint of word, 


or dint of deed, 




Can 


never be 


retarded. 

42 




" As if of sleecl 
In fright profound from battle freed." 



THY VOYAGE. 



XIV. 

Can never be retarded — 

All strength and skill conspiring. 
Still, thou canst do, with labor true, 

What well is worth desiring : 
The speed nor might nor skill can check; 

To thee to guide is given — 
And thou canst wear thy soul afar 
From wrecking sin. that foulest bar 
That ever fought with foani a star, 

'Till port is made in Heaven. 



44 



THY VOYAGE. 



XV. 

By thee, O Star of Jacob, 

Which beamy prow goes meeting- 
By thy bright eye, which in each sky 

And in each wave hes beating, 
And makes that wave, however grim, 

Rich as the wine of Eshcol ; 
And tlushes thee, swan ot the sea, 
With the glory of Calvary, 
Until swan of the sky thou be — 

Cleaving the Life Eternal. 



45 



THY VOYAGE. 


XVI. 




1>\- thoo, O shilling- Scripture, 




Which hcann- wheel g'oos heedino- ; 




\S\ thv bright scroll, whore sailing;" soul 




Each peril dark is reading ; 




For One looked down from sapphire hei 


;hts 


On all our deeps and shallows. 




And drew with care a chart most lair; 




Then cast it down, a falling star, 




Into each ship descried afar, 




Crossin^^- these earthly billows. 




46 





THY VOYAGE. 



XVII. 



By these twin-stars foocthcr. 

Whole ship with h'oht anointino-, 

And joinino- rays in one dear blaze, 
One blazing- finger, pointinq- 

This way and that across the waves, 
Which 'ncath its oiory kindle, 

Away from rock and shoal that block 

The way to port, and hoarsely mock, 
Of broken ships, the groan and shock. 
And threaten Death Eternal. 



47 



THY VOYAGE. 



XVIII. 



And so amid these breakers, 

All cruel and blaspheming. 
Without a scar, without a mar. 

Thy queenly ship goes steaming ; 
Until, afar, on ocean rim, 

A grain of gold arises. 
And stealing on, and stealing on. 
From grain to star, from star to sun. 
Becomes at last the Haven won — ■ 

By passing through the Narrows. 



48 




;r»«!S'^ 



*iSf" 






" By passing tlirough the Narrows. 



THY VOYAGE. 



XIX. 

Forth on the golden Crescent ! 

Across it sharply faring, 
Until thou find the cusps behind 

Into each other wearing! 
Now Golden Horn, become a Crown, 

All round the sky is Hashing 
With climbing towers, and domes, and bowers. 
Of sculj)tured gems, where reign the Powers 
Who wisely steered through earthly hours, 



On rocks infernal dashing. 



50 





THY VOYAGE. 




XX. 


Oh 


see yon vacant Diamond 




Whose quay thy ship is making ! 


Oh 


see its towers, whence morning hours 




In sunset seas are breaking! — 


Whence trump and banner's eager throbs 




Go on the bahn contendinof, 


As 


kings throng down, with harp and crown. 




And purple mantle pending, 


To 


bring their brother to his own, 


An 


d seat him there on starry throne, 




All earthly thrones transcending. 




. 51 



THY VOYAGE. 



XXI. 



Now drop the ready anchor — 

Lift up triumphant singing — 
Let host on host set golden coast 

And golden welkin ringing! 
As Christ steps out from 'mid his kings 

To greet the landing sailor ; 
Then takes his hand, and from the strand, 
Lip steps of pearl to portals grand, 
hi triumph leads the dazzling band — 

And thou art home forever. 




"As Clnrist steps out from 'mid his kings 

To greet the landing sailor ; 
Then takes his hand, and from the strand. 
Up steps of pearl to portals grand, 
In triumph leads the dazzling band — 

And thou art home forever.'" 



THY VOYAGE. 



XXII. 



Joy ! -that this wealthy vessel, 

or whicli thou hast the saving-, 
Found not itJ4 way some careless day 

Where waves on rocks were raving 
And fiercely swinging round and round 

The whirlwind's pinions under. 
All madly sprung the skies among, 
Then madly back by skies been llung, 
On jagged rocks to death been stung, 

'Mid di roe on diree of thunder. 



54 



J 






i... m 






/; ' 




O" j^ggecl rocks to death been stung, 
'Mid dirge on dirge of thunder." 



THY VOYAGE. 



XXIII. 



Ho, all ve many soul-ships 

Across our ocean darlin*:;;; 
Or crossino- here or crossing;' there, 

just landing- or just starting- ! 
Hear what the shoutino- watchman saith. 

From out his loud sea trumpet, 
To him who slec-ps upon these deeps, 
Or him who at his bubbles keeps, 
Rlowino' or catchino- theni while sweeps 

This wav and that the wheel unkept. 




I'M ' Ml .lin, II'MII 

ll|||,v;||v"illiii|,,,| 



i||Pi'i|;|;!i;!Jr:::!i;;'- 



"Hear what the shouting watchman saith. 
From out his loud sea trumpet." 



THY VOYAGE. 



XXIV. 



" Ho ! Ho ! O sailor foolish ! 

Dost see that mighty gliding 
Which in thy name makes furrow flame, 

Whate'er may seem betidine — 
A gliding as of arrow best 

Shot forth by strongest archer ; 

Which naught can check, but aught may wreck, 

If Star and Chart all vainly beck, 

And reins lie loose upon the neck, 
Of thy fleet ocean charger? — " 



53 



THY VOYAGE. 



xxy, 



" Bethink thee what a chareer, 

'Mid rocks and deaths is flvino-, 
As birds of prey haste to the fray 

Where crowd the dead and dying ! 
Bethink thee what a rainbow ship 

To thy sole charge is given ! 
Lay hand of steel on truant wheel ; 
Eyes keen as swords let twin-stars feel ; 
Twin-stars, like suns, thy path reveal, 
Till path of gold pursues thy keel 

Into the port of Heaven." 



59 



THY VOYAGE. 



XXVI. 

" And then that host of jewels, 

With eyes of rainbow lading- 
Thy goodl)' ship, thy royal ship, 

Shall see a royal trading — 
When talent one shall to thee bring, 

Of cities ten,, the scepter; 
And that small wheel so wisely wrought, 

Shall wider grow and brighter, 
And still expand its glowing band, 
In flight sublime, till orbit, grand 
As path of suns, flames round the land, 
The oroodlv land, the trolden land, 

Which thou shalt rule forever." 



60 



